Rail-joint.



No. 777,434. PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

H. L. ROGERS.

RAIL JOINT. V APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1904.

NO MODEL.

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Patented December 13, 1904.

HARRY L. ROGERS, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

lWAlL-dOlNTu SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,434, dated. December 13, 190 1.

Application filed May 3, 1904. Serial No. 206,226. (No model.)

T at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRYL. Romans, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Altoona,

- in the county of Blair and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail-joints; and the primary object of the same to provide a device of this class which may be readily applied to the contiguous ends of stock-rails to reduce the vibration and wear of the wheels of rolling-stock, prevent sagging of the connected rail ends, obstruct spreading of the rails, and permit unrestricted expansion and contraction.

A further object of theinvention is to providemeans for connecting the contiguous ends of stock-rails having features of construction which facilitate the formation of the joint and in some instances permit the ordinary stockrails to be applied without the least modilication in their construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention further consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings. Figure l is a top plan view of sections of stock-rails, the improved joint device, and portions of ties in assembled relation. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the joint device looking toward the inner side thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the stock-rails, showing the structure of the same to fit the joint device shown by Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the joint device slightly modified to receive stock-rails of ordinary structure.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the construction shown by Figs. 1 to 4., inclusive, the numeral 1 designates stock-rails each of which has a portion of one side of the head or ball cut away adjacent to its end to form a longitudinally-inclincd face 2. The joint device embodies a broad base-flange or chair-plate 3, having an upstanding fish-plate member 1 rising from the inner terminal of an in wardly-projecting flange 5, which forms with the chair-plate 3, over which projects a longitudinal socket or seat 6 at opposite sides of the center. At a distance inwardly from the opposite ends of the fish-plate member 4- guard-flanges 7 project and diverge inwardly toward and. continue into a central strut 8, which projects transversely over the center of the chair-plate 8 a distance equal to the full width or transverse cxtent of the stock-rails, the inner face of the strut being shaped similarly to the inner surfaces of the said rails. clincd walls of the guard-flanges 7 have the inclined faces 2 of the stock-rails closely litted thereagainst, the ends of the rails contacting snugly against the opposite ends of the strut, the upper surfaces of the guard-flanges and strut being flush with the upper surfaces of the rail-heads. The base-flanges 9 of the rails 1 at one side are inserted in the seats 6, the said basc-llanges 9 resting on the chair-plate 3, as clearly shown by Fig. 3. After the stockads have been inserted longitudinally into the joint device an angular fish-plate 10 is applied against the inner sides of the rails and over the inner face of the strut 8, and all the parts are secured by nutted bolts 11 inserted transversely therethrough and engage oblongopenings 12 in the member 4t. and plate 10 to permit expansion and contraction of the latter for obvious reasons. The angular lishplate 10 is secured to the inner portion of the chair-plate 3 by nutted bolts 13 at points between the ties 1 1, on which the said chair-plate is disposed, and the latter, together with the fish-plate 10, is secured to the ties 1 1 by means of ordinary spikes 15, which are arranged in closer relation on opposite sides of the strut 8 or at the point where the greatest resistance to movement of the joint device is required.

In the modified form of the joint device shown by Fig. 5 the chairplate 3 is the same as that heretofore described, and all of the remaining features are similar to those shown by Fig. 1 except the guard-flanges 16, which have inner longitudinal straight faces The inner in- 17 intersecting the ends of the strut 8 in planes at right angles to form approximately rectangular seats for the reception of stockrails 18 of the ordinary construction. This modified form of the joint device permits the application thereto of the stock-rails as they are now commonly used or without modifying the contour thereof and is therefore of material advantage and in many instances will be preferred by reason of the reduction in cost of application which arises from the use therewith of a stock-rail in its normal condition.

Either of the forms of the joint disclosed will be effective in preventing sagging and lateral movement or spreading of the rails, and at the same time the joint between the abutting ends of the rails is prolonged to such an extent as to render the movement of the car-wheels thereover easy and without jar or vibration, and. moreover. crushing of the heads of the rails at the contiguous ends thereof is also prevented.

By the use of the improved joint the stockrails are rendered more durable and injury to the wheels of the rolling-stock is obviated, and in view of the saving in expense of repairs to the stock-rails and wheels the use of the joint device will not increase the cost of railway construction and accidents will be averted.

It will be understood that changes in the proportions, dimensions, and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is In combination with rails, of a joint device comprising a chair-plate, an integral fish-plate member rising therefrom and forming seats on opposite sides of the center to receive the rail-flanges, guard flanges having inclined surfaces extending upwardly from said member on opposite sides of the transverse center, a transversely-arranged strut formed integral with said flanges, the ends of the rails abuttingagainst said strut on opposite sides thereof and the free edge of the chair-plate extending beyond the rails, and an angular fish-plate applied against the inner sides of the strut and rails and over and secured to the extended portion of the chair-plate.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY L. ROGERS.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES S. HYER, GEORGE M. BOND. 

